Reloading Equipment/Procedure Basics For Beginners - Read This First!

[imp81318]

Thanks for the info!

[imp81318]

Can anyone offer a few features of the single-stage presses and/or kits that you like or prefer? Trying to decide between the littany of options available on the Midway site alone without really being sure of what I'm looking at is proving unfruitful. Not sure that it'll be worth the cost to get started for me, but I'm at least kicking the idea around...

[hornady]

I have loaded with a single stage press for 40 years, and it takes care of all my needs, I am retired now and have more time to load and shoot. The single stag is the cheapest rout, but is slower. The start up is definitely the most expensive part of it. there are some things you can do to save money. Buy a used press. And some of the other Items on Bay. But the Dies I would buy new. If you are serious about starting, the first thing I would do is Buy either the Lyman 49th addition or lee modern reloading manual Either will get you started in the right direction there is a lot more to reloading than just saving a couple bucks on ammo. If you get bitten with the bug you will know what I am talking about

[imp81318]

I was looking around at some presses. I noticed Lee offers 2 kits, that seem to be almost identical - the only difference between their "Anniversary Kit" and "Complete Press Kit" seems to be the priming device - the anniversary kit has the "press mounted safety prime system" whereas the complete press kit has the "auto prime system". Huh??? What's the difference between these two? The kits appear to be the same with this one exception and about $15 on the price tag - what is the difference in these two prime systems?

[Kaos]

Originally Posted by imp81318

I was looking around at some presses. I noticed Lee offers 2 kits, that seem to be almost identical - the only difference between their "Anniversary Kit" and "Complete Press Kit" seems to be the priming device - the anniversary kit has the "press mounted safety prime system" whereas the complete press kit has the "auto prime system". Huh??? What's the difference between these two? The kits appear to be the same with this one exception and about $15 on the price tag - what is the difference in these two prime systems?

the press mounted one combines a few actions:

Lets assume you just tumbled your pistol brass and are depriming it now.

You raise the ram to pop the old primer out, you then move the priming arm over which "loads" a primer onto the seating bit that's in the ram, when you lower the ram it then pushes a primer into the case.

The lee handheld (auto prime) would let you take a pile of brass that's deprimed and sit down and watch TV and prime if you wanted to....or wherever etc.

I personally would prefer to have both. So I already have the press mounted priming system, and buying an auto prime alone is onlye 13.99 from midway - so there you have it.

You'll also need a shell holder made for the auto prime as well.

[imp81318]

So the press-mounted sounds more convenient for priming as you load, but the handheld, or auto prime system, sounds more convenient for priming the brass in leisure time to be ready to load later. Thanks!

[tl_3237]

Originally Posted by imp81318

I was looking around at some presses. I noticed Lee offers 2 kits, that seem to be almost identical - the only difference between their "Anniversary Kit" and "Complete Press Kit" seems to be the priming device - the anniversary kit has the "press mounted safety prime system" whereas the complete press kit has the "auto prime system". Huh??? What's the difference between these two? The kits appear to be the same with this one exception and about $15 on the price tag - what is the difference in these two prime systems?

IIRC the auto-prime II is essentially a 7/8-14 'die' with a primer feed reservoir. You insert the cartridge case in the top of the die and press the primer home through an integral dowel that is activeated by the press. There is also an autoprime manual that I have no experience with.

The press mounted safety prime is integral to the press ram allowing you to press in the primer while the case is in the ram's shell holder.

I would stongly urge the press mounter version over the autoprime. The autoprime has primer feed problems, primer count issues and lack a good 'feel' for seating.

[livinlarge]

Dave - you are the man! Thankyou, great job- my bro and I are going to start reloading because we love the sport,shoot twice a week and as you know that adds up- also we are tired of trying to get to walmart as soon as they get ammo because the day they get it- its gone the same day. Thanks again ! Joe